The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1964 by filmmaker and graphic artist Michael Kutza, serving as an alternative to mainstream Hollywood cinema. Organized by Cinema/Chicago, a non-profit cultural and educational organization, it holds the distinction of being the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. The festival is dedicated to fostering understanding between diverse cultures through film and to the discovery of new voices in cinema, offering various competitive sections and awards, including the prestigious Gold Hugo.